Pennsylvania legislative funds: tear down this wall of spending secrecy

Joe Hermitt, The Patriot-NewsMembers of Pennsylvania's General Assembly gather in the House chamber before the Governor's budget address.

It is time to throw open the books.

The clock is ticking on next year's state budget and by the time a plan is accepted that deals with our $3.2 billion deficit it is almost certain we will be paying more in taxes and receiving fewer services. With unemployment now at 8.2 percent and still rising, it is incumbent that all spending be scrutinized for cost savings. That includes the General Assembly funds.

Legislative caucuses have all cut costs because of this economic downturn, and some have indicated they will give back a portion of the money from their discretionary funds that top millions of dollars as the governor has asked. But given the scale of the deficit, these actions have been more like trims than true haircuts.

Legislators need to open their books on how they spend taxpayer money, especially on those "discretionary funds."

An excellent examination of the closely guarded process of awarding tens of millions of dollars per year in legislative grants by Associated Press writer Marc Levy showed how secretive and how flawed the system has become. The series, which ran in The Patriot-News this week, showed that in Greene County, the home of House Majority Leader H. William DeWeese receives about $83 for each man, woman and child. Neighboring Bedford County meanwhile receives 20 cents per person. Meanwhile Cumberland, York and Perry Counties are in the $2.35 to $2.50 range with Dauphin County and its obligations to provide services for the Capitol receiving $10.71.

If you look in the budget, you will see line items for staff salaries and the general costs for operating the House and the Senate. But that is top level information that tells you little about where the money is really going.

How much is spent on the offices filled with communications workers, on producing press releases, newsletters and other materials? What are all the costs involved in the television program production made available to members?

How much is spent regularly on catered food, mileage, travel, photographers? Who are all the vendors paid by lawmakers, for how much to do what?

The argument will be made by legislative leaders that much of that information is available. All you need to do is request it. But why should people need to ask? All those expenses and more should be available online for taxpayers to see. This is taxpayer money.

Some lawmakers have taken it upon themselves to provide more openness and cost cutting. Rep. Eugene DePasquale, D-York, was the first lawmaker to put his expenses online for all to see. Sen. John Eichelberger, R-Blair, doesn't accept the legislative-financed glossy calendars to hand out to constituents, taxpayer-paid soda for his offices and has his staff do janitorial chores.

Many lawmakers would like the system to change. As former York Rep. Steven Nickol told The Associated Press, "The best way to clean it up is to make sure that all the information is available, even among caucus members. Everyone would want to be treated equally."

There is no easier way to achieve that goal than through transparency. There has always been an obligation by lawmakers to provide voters with access to how they spend money because it is, in fact, the people's money. Now, however, there is a heightened reason to readily provide this information.

We are at the point with our budget crisis that tax increases are on the table including raising the personal income tax. Even if all the tax increases are approved there will still need to be a cut in vital services, something that will touch many, many families in our state.

During this difficult time, taxpayers deserve more than ever to know how the money they hand over to the state is being spent.

The state would benefit as would the many hardworking legislators who would welcome their constituents seeing where all the money goes.